Sousse (ArabicسوسةSousa) is a city in Tunisia. Located 140 km south of the capital Tunis, the city has 173,047
inhabitants (2004). Sousse is in the central-east of the country,
on the Gulf of
Hammamet, which is a part of the Mediterranean Sea. The name may be of
Berber
origin: similar names are found in Libya and in the south of
Morocco (Bilād al-Sūs). The city
is the capital of Sousse Governorate with 540,000
inhabitants (2005 estimate). Its economy is based on transport
equipment, processed food, olive oil, textiles and tourism. It is home to the
Université de Sousse (or Université de Monastir).

In the 7th century A.D. Arab-Islamic armies conquered what is
now Tunisia and rapidly spread Arab culture across what had been a
thoroughly Romanized and Christianized landscape. The Arabs seized the
city, which in the aftermath of Rome's fall was but a remnant of its former self.
They renamed the city Sûsa and within a few decades elevated it to
the status of the main seaport of the Aghlabid Dynasty. When the
Aghlabids invaded Sicily in
827, Sûsa was their main staging ground.

In the centuries that followed, as Europe gained technological ascendancy and began
pushing back at Islam, Sûsa was
briefly occupied by the Normans in the 12th century, was later more
thoroughly occupied by the Spanish, and in the 18th century was the target
of bombardments by the Venetians and the French. The French renamed the city Sousse
(actually the city is still called "Sûsa" in Arabic, so no-one
renamed it since the Arabs conquered this area: the French just
adapted its name for their own language, and the British borrowed
it from the French).

Despite the turmoil around it, Sousse's character had retained
the solidly Arabian look and feel it had assumed
in the centuries after Islam's
wars of conquest. Today it is considered one of the best examples
of seaward-facing fortifications built by the Arabs. Its ribat, a soaring structure that combined the
purposes of a minaret and a watch tower, is in outstanding
condition and draws visitors from around the world.

These days, Sousse, with a population of more than 540,000,
retains a medieval heart of narrow, twisted streets, a kasbah and medina, its ribat fortress and long
wall on the Mediterranean. Surrounding it is a modern
city of long, straight roads and more widely spaced buildings.

Historical
names

In films

Sousse's old city has apects that made it ideal as a film
location. Most famous is the first Indiana Jones movie (1981), where Sousse
represents Cairo. It is
noteworthy that the styles of Sousse, white-washed houses with blue
details, bear no resemblance to the actual architecture of
Cairo.

City
assets

Sousse panorama

The Ribat of Sousse

Third city of the country after Tunis and Sfax,
Sousse owes its status as the undoubted capital of the region to
these assets :

An olive grove stretching
over more than 2,500 square kilometres, constituting one of its
main riches since Antiquity

A busy port, open to the town centre and giving a touch of
gaiety to its activity

A medina
of great historical interest, surrounded by its fortifications,
which continues to live at its own rhythm, harmoniously contrasting
with the modern city of typically Mediterranean
charm

A seaside resort stretching to the north, making up together
with the integrated complex of Port El Kantaoui one of the most
complete and most diversified tourist zones of the Mediterranean, at only 20 km from the
international airport of Monastir. As a sea town, Sousse
benefits from a moderate and mild climate promoting all the
pleasures which a tourist could desire and making it an all-season
resort

Sousse is home to many resorts and fine sandy beaches backed by
orchards and olive groves. It has a pleasant Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry
summers and warm, mild wet winters. It also has a skilled
population, and serves as a strategic geographic location.

Although Sousse is associated with oliveoil making, this is
far from being the only industry in the city. Tourism has become a central activity, with
some 1,200,000 visitors every year coming to enjoy its many fine
hotels and restaurants, trendy nightclubs, casinos, beaches, sports
facilities, museums, and the Medina (the old city).

120 hotels with a capacity of 40,000 beds extend over a 20 km
strip from the north of town down south to a traditional downtown
area and bazaar, where wares are directed mainly at tourists.

Statistics

Population: 220,000 inhabitants (2003
estimate)

Altitude: 2 m

Humidity: 69%

Number of hospitals: (private and public)
15

Average Temperatures: (mean temperatures from
May to August for the last 30 years)

Contents

Understand

Sousse is one of the older cities in Tunisia
possessing an authentic medina, which has been declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is a popular tourist destination, particularly with Russian,
Serbs, Croats, British, German and East European people. Located on
the coast it has good beaches and a clear turquoise sea.

Get in

By plane

The most convenient airport is Monastir which is to the south on the coast,
20 minutes away and frequently used by holiday charter flights;
however Tunis is still easily accessible with numerous train and
shared taxi options.

By train

Sousse is on the main line from Tunis in the north down to Sfax and Monastir to the south. Example fares from
Tunis to Sousse are 12/10/6 dinars in Grand/1st/2nd class.

By car

Highway A1 connects Sousse with Tunis. A toll applies for using
the highway. Additionally, Sousse is crossed by National Road 1
(RN1), connecting the city with the south of the country, and Libya. Roads are in very good
condition. Additionally, a car ferry connects Sousse with Trapani in Italy once a week i the summer months. Please
note that driving in Tunisia can be a very dangerous and harrowing
experience, with drivers rarely observing even basic rules of the
road, accidents being extremely frequent.

By bus

Buses (car) connect the city with most other parts of
Tunisia. Additionally, there is a louage (shared-taxi)
service covering the entire country. The far bus station (Gare
Routiere) is located in some distance to the west of the Medina at
the Souk El Ahad ("Camel Market") - the City bus station is located
next to the Medina in the town center). Prices are slightly lower
than those of second class train tickets, but many buses do not
have air conditioning.

By boat

Car ferries and express boats connect Sousse with Trapani (only in the summer
months, once a week for cars and passengers) and Mazara del
Vallo via Pantelleria 3 times a week, only for
passengers. It takes up to 7-8 hours to Trapani and 5 hours to
Mazara del Vallo. Private boats and yachts can use the marina at
Port El Kantaoui (a resort about 12 km north of Sousse).

Get around

By taxi

Taxis have a bad reputation and the advice is
to agree a price before getting in and ensure that the price is not
'per person'. They do have meters, but the drivers are often
reluctant to use them; if you can persuade them ensure it is reset
to 0,310 dinar at the start of your journey. Between 9 PM and 5 AM
rates are 0,510 dinar/km. However, many drivers have altered their
meters, and use "special rates" for tourists. A typical daytime
fare between Sousse and Kantaoui, with a proper meter, is 4,100
dinar, but, in most cases, with the meter, the fare will be about 7
dinar. You can, however, agree to a fare of 5-6 dinar before
getting in the taxi. Taxis are yellow, and have a taxi license
sticker on the windshield.

Shared taxis (Collection taxis, Louages) are
large cars or minibuses/people carriers which start their journey
when they are full. Well used by the locals, expect to pay 10% of
the price of a taxi. Shared taxis can take you further than regular
taxis, connecting the city with most bigger towns in Tunisia.
Shared taxis for destinations in the same or a closely adjacent
city (eg. Hergla, Chott Mariem) are also yellow with a blue stripe
on the middle of the taxi. Shared taxis between cities (far
connections) are white with a red stripe. In Sousse, there are also
white taxis with red, black, blue and yellow stripes serving
destinations in the greater Sousse area (eg. Akouda, Hammam-Sousse,
Kantaoui, Chott Mariem).

Tuk-Tuk's and Mini-trains can
get you a fun ride to Port El Kantaoui, which is about 12 km away.
They are open, shared transports and start their journey when
they're full (or almost). Expect to pay 2 dinars per journey at the
first and 2,5 at the latter. Tuk-tuks are bright purple.

Horse-drawn carriages provide another option
for a fun ride to Port El Kantaoui at no more than double the price
of a taxi (if you bargain).

See

All of Sousse's sights are located within the labyrinthine
medina in the heart of the city.

Great Mosque. A surprisingly tranquil place
despite its location in the middle of the city. Built c. 850 AD,
this mosque is simple and austere in the Aghlabite style, no
decoration whatsoever aside from a string of angular Arabic and
curved arches. Even the prayer room is covered in reed mats instead
of the usual carpet. You must be properly dressed to enter, but
green wraps can be rented for a token fee to cover up.

Mosaic Museum, in the gently crumbling old
kasbah on the edge of the medina.

The Traditional Tunisian House. This charming
little museum located just within the old city walls some 200 yards
north of the main bus terminal is the home of a long standing
Tunisian family that has now become a museum with the passing of
the last family member.

The property centers on a open courtyard from which access to
all the rooms can be gained, including bedrooms for the first and
second wife and, in turn, to the children's rooms.

All are delightfully fully furnished, with some curtains dating
back 200 years, and with German clocks imported from the
1800's.

The house is complete with a tower, orginally used to watch the
stars for the onset of Ramadan, from which views over Sousse can be
gained.

Ribat.

Whilst not as impressive or extensive as the Ribat in Monastir
this fortified holy site is a worthwhile visit and served as home
to a branch of Islamic warriors very similar in nature and creed as
the Hospitaller Knights that lived in Rhodes. Climbing to the top of the watch tower
affords you fantastic views over the Medina.

Catacombs

Do

Play golf. There is no golf course in Sousse, but one in
Kantaoui and two in Monastir

Buy

Don't expect to have language issues as merchants speak almost
anything common (French, English, Spanish, German...) - you can mix
all languages if you want.

Medina including the souk located in
the center of the city. The old section of the city containing the
local bazaar, expect to haggle
or barter.

Soula Centre just outside the souk
has fixed prices, it is useful to establish values before
bargaining in the souk (of course there is no fun).

Everything is pretty cheap. When bargaining, establish (for you)
the price you are willing to pay and drop the price that the
merchant asks for half. Negotiate from there, act a little (as they
do too) and have fun.

Don't waste your and their time if you don't intend to buy
anything. Say nicely and with a smile that you are not interested
or that you don't have any money left. However don't feel obliged
to buy if you can't agree a price.

Don't keep thinking in the price after you buy something. Think
on the good deal that you have made and the price that you would've
paid in your home country.

Eat

Two people can have a nice meal for around 10 dinars or less
(depends on the place), but prices are generally low. For this you
don't have to negotiate prices.

Drink

Drinking tap water is generally not harmful - some people and
almost all tourists prefer, though, to use the bottled water that
you can find everywhere (very cheap, for around 0,200-0,400 TND for
1/2 liter, 0,300-0,650 for 1.5 liter). Non-carbonated
(non-sparkling) water is the most popular, and is called "mineral
water". Carbonated water is available as well, but you must
specifically ask for water with gas (eau avec gaz) or
Garci (the most popular brand).

Expect to find a Coke for around 0,800 to 1,5 TND (depends if in
a supermarket or hotel).

The favorite beverage of the locals is tea, with many tea based
specialties being available at the many cafes and restaurants
around town. A favorite amongst locals is the au menthe (tea with
mint leaves and sugar) and the aux ammandes (tea with crushed
almonds and almond essence). Most locals will drink it while
smoking from the chicha (the local name for a hookah). Expect to be
offered tea while buying things of relatively high value (over
60-70 dinar) from shops in the souk.

Being a city in a Muslim country, alcohol may be rather hard to
find and quite expensive, because of little demand. Some cafes and
stores will sell wine and beer, since many locals also drink these
beverages. Expect to pay 2-3 dinar for a 0.3 bottle of local beer
(invariably Celtia brand), and 2-12 dinar for a bottle of local
wine in a store (double in a bar). Hard alcohol is very hard to
find and extremely expensive (more expensive than even in the
Nordic Countries), since most locals avoid it. Your best bets are
hotel bars (3-6 dinar for 50 ml of vodka or gin) and Magasin
General supermarkets (state owned stores, the only ones authorized
to sell hard liquor - one is located on 7 November avenue, near the
Sousse Palace hotel). A bottle of gin or whiskey is about
80,000-120,000 dinar. No alcohol is sold on Fridays.

Sleep

Don't compare the category directly to european hotels. Expect
to take a star (or even two) from these hotels. 4/5 star hotels are
recommended.

Hôtel de Paris. Spotlessly clean if rather
austere hotel near the main entrance to the medina. Small singles
from TND 13.

Abou-Nawas Boujaafar(4-Stars). Great food and
services. Thalasso center with an interior (30'C, salt water) pool,
another outside and private beach. 3 restaurants. Deco from the
80's but not expensive. 5 minutes away from the medina and near all
transportations.

Stay safe

There's no danger on walking alone at any time. Most streets are
very busy till late night. Respect the locals and you will be
respected. Crime is nearly non-existent, even if some of the
neighborhoods of the city may look shabby or feel dangerous.

Expect some hassle in the souk (medina) and this is most normal.
Merchants always try to show their goods/shops and see what you
like. You have to get into the spirit to enjoy, always be nice and
have a smile on your face. Even if sometimes annoying, this is
absolutely not dangerous.

Women may want to avoid the red light area in the north west of
the medina, reached through two overlapping walls which screen that
street from the rest of the medina. Single women walking alone may
be stared at, but, again, this is not dangerous, but rather a
curiosity of some local men.

Roman Amphitheatre in El Jem (or El Djem), approx 70km due south of
Sousse which is better preserved than that at Rome. It was the location for some of the filming
in Gladiator.

Port El
Kantaoui purpose built tourist resort featuring a marina. Said
to be both fake and 'touristy', nonetheless caters well for
tourist's needs with a good range of restaurants and bars. It has a
zoo, but the one at Figuiera is better, and a water park.

Friguia Zoo near the town of Enfidha Well
cared for animals. Although not in an authentic setting, see lions
and elephants in Africa!

Sahara Explorer is a two day 750 mile tourist
adventure to the edge of the desert, which includes visits to El
Djem, Berber caves, salt lakes and a sunset camel ride in the
Sahara.

This is a usable article. It has
information for getting in as well as some complete entries for
restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this
article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!